Charge valve for an air conditioning system

A service valve for an air conditioning system adapted to selectively connect pressurized refrigerant within a cavity of the air conditioning system to a service tool, the service valve comprising:

• a valve body defining a valve bore having a first end exposed to the cavity and a second end adapted for operatively engaging the service tool, with the bore including a dynamic valve seating surface;
• a valve pin assembly, mounted and slidable within the valve bore between an open position and a closed position, with the valve pin assembly including a primary seal portion and a secondary seal portion mounted to the primary seal portion, with the secondary seal portion being made of an elastomeric material that is substantially softer than the primary seal material, and with the primary and the secondary seal portions sealingly engagable to the dynamic valve seating surface when the valve pin assembly is in the closed position such that the primary seal portion contacts the dynamic valve seating surface closer to the pressurized refrigerant than the secondary seal portion;
• a biaser that contacts the valve pin assembly and biases the valve pin assembly toward the closed position;
• and
• an adapter housing having a refrigerant bore, and an adapter bore extending between the refrigerant bore at a first end and a second end adapted for receiving the service tool, and with the adapter bore including a static seal seating surface, wherein the valve body threadably mounts within the adapter bore and includes a static seal surface that sealingly engages the static seal seating surface.

A service valve for an air conditioning system adapted to selectively connect pressurized refrigerant within a cavity of the air conditioning system to a service tool, the service valve comprising:

• a valve body defining a valve bore having a first end exposed to the cavity and a second end adapted for operatively engaging the service tool, with the bore including a dynamic valve seating surface;
• a valve pin assembly, mounted and slidable within the valve bore between an open position and a closed position, with the valve pin assembly including a primary seal portion and a secondary seal portion mounted to the primary seal portion, with the secondary seal portion being made of an elastomeric material that is substantially softer than the primary seal material, and with the primary and the secondary seal portions sealingly engagable to the dynamic valve seating surface when the valve pin assembly is in the closed position such that the primary seal portion contacts the dynamic valve seating surface closer to the pressurized refrigerant than the secondary seal portion;
• a biaser that contacts the valve pin assembly and biases the valve pin assembly toward the closed position;
• and
• a steel member coated with a rubber material mounted to the valve body to form the dynamic valve seating surface, with the steel member being about 0.010 inches thick and the rubber coating being about 0.0025 inches thick.